@razums
of course this is Putin's fault. What is more - it is in his business, because intelligent people are harder to control. So he will obstruct any idea/policy of making use of Russia's elite beyond what he orders it to do. And the funny thing about Russians is that they love it. That's why I called it XIXth century mentality - mentality of a slave. I don't want to say that Putin's policy of holding everybody by their balls was a bad one all the time - Russia is such a jungle, that you probably needed this, because Russians have no idea of common interest or public good (not their fault, no one taught them). But for Russia to become once again a powerful state you need democracy, you need Europe and you need to be European.

And speaking of European Nation - it's in making. The idea of a community of people spreads from the highest pinnacles of elites (politicians, artists, bankers, etc.) downwards, toward the middle class which can cheaply travel around Europe and see that similar people live all around, that they have similar problems, they can see how they solved them and tell how those problems were solved somewhere else. That is why I like to say that Ryan Air did more for European integration than any politician. There are obstacles, no one says it is going to be easy or that it will be possible at all. No one expects people who prefer not to think and use stereotypes, fear or say that someone has a charisma of a damp rug to take part in this great project. But normal people do take part in it and they feel enriched by it. Europe also has a problem of creating an efficient immigration policy, but at least no one cuts their heads off as it happens in Russia. And one day some of those Somalis, Turks, Ethiopians, Algerians, etc. will be part of this European nation, no doubt about it. Not all of them. But we don't believe in utopia, we believe in ambitious projects that you cannot even imagine.

The elegance of Ipmerialism does not seem to be eradicated. People still admire parts of their history, in the case of Russia although it may still not be directly connected to the Habsburgs, its 18th,19th,20th century rulers have had stron ties with Europe.
Even its revolutionary is European oriented.
Georgia on the other hand has tried for world sympathy, but has never been succesful. Not even with the Papacy
So let us wait and see whether 'eve ' can accomplish something that all the 'Adams ' have failed

Dydomnik,
this bespredel is terrible, but same like in Ukrainian and even Lituanian prison. This is great problem, its true. Dont know, but think this is not better even in Georgia. So... how this connected whith princess? Or does she go to prisson?

This is incorrect. A (female) Habsburg was one of the organisers of the Austro-Hungarian picnic. This was held just over the border in Hungary (near Sopron) and the intention was that a border gate should be opened to let Austrians cross into Hungary for the duration of the picnic and for them to cross back when the picnic had finished.

There was no organisation of a cross-border exodus.

That was caused by two things.

1. The presence of a large number of East Germans in Hungary who had heard there might be a possibility to cross the border and so appeared near the picnic site in large numbers.

2. The decision of the Hungarian officer in charge of the border police for that section of the border to instruct his officers to look away (and not fire!) when the East Germans started crossing the border via the open gate.

This actually started to take place even before the official opening of the gate to let the Austrian delagation (including the above-mentioned Habsburg) in. (and carried on afterwards).

Just like the East German border guard commander at one crossing point in Berlin who later that year started letting people go across to visit (and come back from) West Berlin, that Hungarian officer was left to make his own decision when his superiors made themselves scarce. It is mainly to his credit that the precedence was set and the border truely and permenantly opened. Not any Habsburg however well-intentioned she was.

The lady's name is irrelevant, but there are clear advantages in any country being represented by someone who is fluent in the language spoken in the diplomatic posting, along with a few others, and is confident in living, socialising, making and retaining connections and opening doors there.

" A name like that, says Georgia’s president Mikheil Saakashvili, should open doors."

Many with clear visions have judged Mikeil Saakashvili as cleverly manipulative but rather stupid. This appointment of a fairly useless descendent of a long lost empire is vindication of this judgement. She is not even Georgian; one knows you can purchase world-class athlete but this is ridiculous!

Despite their sad records during the 2nd WW, the Germans ARE an aristocratic people and are anything but silly enough to be taken in.

Georgians are indeed unfortunate to have their future determined by such a con man leading them.

Well I may say that the fact that she is 'Aristocracy' means nothing to me. I'm German and I come from the Federal REPUBLIC of Germany. I hope this isn't meant to impress the people of Germany, as they, like me, are generally unimpressed by people who like to think they have a God-given birth right to be superior.

That said, it is of course important to make sure that Georgia's views, Georgia's legitimate views are supported. It would be a sad day indeed if my country's first steps in regaining former world importance would be to support a wrong cause for personal short term gain.

to ary,
we are gaz exporter, but this is Putins fault?
We remember time of democraty, like U called eltsins time. We dont want anymore lke this!
That do U mean europeans? Is this nation? Does it include nearly one million somalies in Europe?

Georgians don't expect to cut Russia from Germany with one person... though some commentators here ridiculed the news as if that was Saakaschwilis plan. Business is business.
But a respected ambassador is a powerful tool and it will surely push Georgia higher on the agenda.
As to Razmus:
You can feel proud. Russia is a beautiful country and great culture, so there is much to it. But as long as you will remain in this ancient autocratic regime Russia will be nothing more than a resource warehouse supplying europe. Pushkin will not change the fact that your average life expectancy is at the bottom of the scale and this Russia Inc. works for a few people. Your ambitions are contemporary, but mentality the same as in XIXth century.
Once you were proudly European. Now you are proud gas exporter.

didomnyk, dream sweat. and even mre, in video with ! future! stay not about 10 years, but until 2010. Smile. Make U dream more comfortable see todays Europe:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rosengård+bråk&search_type=&aq=2&oq=rosenghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFPVz9CwlP4&feature=related
And this is JUST fucts. There is europeans? Smile.